6 comments:

But yeah, I am fascinated by the timing on this release. Unless they're looking to avoid an embarrassment in Calgary, they should have waited until the federal election to unveil that quote. After time things like this tend to lose their power:

"Canada is a Northern European welfare state in the worst sense of the term, and very proud of it." - Stephen Harper (this guy became Prime Minister. Three times.)

"I think in Atlantic Canada, because of what happened in the decades following Confederation, there is a culture of defeat that we have to overcome." Stephen Harper said and also refused to back down. "If I thought I said something I should apologize for, I would …"

"They should f--- off," John Baird on Toronto (2009).

The sting of a stupid comment loses its effect over time.

Not saying that Liberals don't have a lot of work to do in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia... (actually the entire country)....

Hey, if the comments were released to help the Conservatives win the by-election, there's the potential this might backfire. The Liberals aren't necessarily competitive because people are running to the party. It's because it might not have been the smartest thing for the Conservatives to run a Wild Rose supporter in a riding made up of two provincial ridings that went Liberal and PC in the last provincial election. Right now the split along the left has let Crockatt settle on top. Crushing the Liberals might increase the chances of the vote coalescing around a candidate... Maybe. We'll see Monday.

I miss foodbankguy, hockeyguy, Ashley McIssac. There's no entertainment here, just the shiny pony. But that could turn out to be good: Trudeau-fils V Trudeau-maitresse. Isn't that kinda like competing against your step-mom?

As to the timing, well my impression is that alot of this stuff is reactive. The McGuinty thing blew up and then somebody remembered this interview. I don't have inside knowledge, but I'm not sure people in the party machine actually sit on this stuff for any length of time.

I beg to differ, BCL. The Con war room - staffed by publicly paid but privately contracted hired guns - wouldn't through this out in the early days of a leadership race if they weren't worried. It may not necessarily be tied to Calgary, although we know they have their own polls that are telling them something; the recent national polls likely have played a bigger role; don't give up just yet, because while JT will face this heat along the way, it will also be a good test for him and for the party, on how do we react... And I like Garneau too.